1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to security systems as used to prevent unauthorized removal of discrete, portable articles, as from a display area, and, more particularly, to a system for anchoring a restraining cable on each article to a support.
2. Background Art
The cost of thievery in retail sales facilities is exceptionally high. This problem is aggravated by the growth of high volume electronic and appliance stores which display, in some cases, hundreds of different consumer articles of the type that can be removed from the display premises, undetected on the person of the thief.
Purveyors of electronic equipment commonly balance the competing objectives of encouraging sales and controlling theft. On the one hand, it is desirable to allow consumers to pick up, inspect, and in some cases operate a device, such as a camcorder. By permitting this inspection and trial use, sales of a particular product might be increased. To allow this complete inspection and operation, the articles are commonly individually connected to a flexible security cable connected at one end to a fixed support or a control box and at the other end to the particular article. The cord has sufficient length to allow the article to be removed from the display and manipulated by the user in normal fashion. On the other hand, by being able to remove the article from the shelf, the user is given the opportunity to discretely breach the security system and carrying off the article.
Several systems are currently offered by the assignee herein to prevent undetected removal of the security cable from either the article or support or severance of the cable. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,098, a highly commercially successful electronic system is disclosed to simultaneously monitor a plurality of articles. Sophisticated setup and monitoring circuits are designed into this system to afford a high level of security.
However, oft times it is desirable to secure a relatively limited number of articles through a less sophisticated, principally mechanical system. The desire for this mechanical system may be dictated by goals of simplicity and/or economy. The seller may not wish to contend with a maze of wires, emanating one per article from a control box in most electronic systems.
One existing mechanical security system uses what is termed in the industry a "slot wall". The wall includes frame elements, each having a slot into which a receiver for a cable end can be directed. A repositionable anchor element/plate can be directed rearwardly through the frame element with the plate in an assembly orientation on the receiver and repositioned through a front access to a locked position wherein the slot wall frame is captive between the plate and the receiver. As long as the cable end is attached to the receiver and the receiver plate is in the locked position, the cable end is positively anchored to the slot wall. However, in this conventional system, the receiver plate can be repositioned or removed simply by mining a bolt or similar element carrying the plate. That is, the system may be defeated by using a tool, such as a screwdriver, at the front of the receiver and repositioning the plate, whereby the receiver, cable and object tethered thereto can be removed as a unit by the thief, compacted, and carded discretely from the premises.
In short, in this type of system, generally effectiveness is compromised in the interest of convenience.